White



W. WHITE. Corpse-000161'.

No. 221,642. Pafenfed Nov. 11,1879.

UNITED STnTEs PATENT OEEIGE.

WASHINGTONWHITE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN GORPSE-COOLERS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,642, dated November 11, 1879; application tiled July 31, 1879.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WASHINGTON WHITE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gorpse-Preservers, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of my preserver. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view thereof, partly in section.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to that class of corpsepreserving boxes or cases in which averticallyadjustable ice-reservoir is provided 5 and my invention consists in the combination, with a corpse-preserving box or case, of an ice-reservoir fitted through a central opening in the top of the box, and having its end walls provided wit-h a series of notches, and sliding catch-plates adjustably secured to the box or case at-each end of the ice-reservoir for engagin g the notches in the latter, whereby the same can be adjusted vertically, as will be fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, the letter A designates a box of suitable shape to receive a corpse, and B an ice-reservoir fltted into an openin g in the top of the box according to my invention. A glass plate, (l, is fastened in the top of the box A near one end, for showing the face of the corpse, and the reservoir B is placed at or near the point occupied by the trunk of the body, and particularly the abdomen. I make the reservoir B of zinc or other similar material, and incase the same on its sides with wood, and also provide the saame with a wooden cover, so that the visible portion of the reservoir has substantially the same appearance as the box A. The width of the reservoir B is less than that of the box, and the bottom thereof is preferably raised in the center.

On the top surface ofthe box A are sliding catches d, which are adapted to enter notches formed in the end pieces of the reservoir, as shown. rlhe purpose of these catches d is to sustain the reservoir in the positions to which it may be adjusted, and it is obvious that a variety of other devices may be substituted therefor.

When a corpse is placed in the box A the reservoir B may be lowered until it touches the same, and may be sustained in this position by the catches d, and, if the reservoir is lled with ice, a cool surface is thus presented to the body, while the interior of the box also is thereby kept cool and, since the reservoir is adjustable in a vertical direction, it is adapted to any corpse that may be introduced into the box.

The advantage gained by my invention is that the space to be cooled is reduced as the reservoir B is lowered into the box A in proportion to the area of that part of the reservoir which is within the box, and none of the cooling eiect of the reservoir is lost.

It will be observed that the ice-reservoir is suspended in the central opening of the cover of the case by t-he longitudinally-adjustable fastening-plates which are on the exterior of the cover; and, further, that the reservoir projects both above and below the cover, whereby it can be readily and conveniently adjusted vertically by reason of said upward-projectin g portion and exterior fastenings.

Heretofore an ice-reservoir has been flxed in a central opening in the top of the corpse-preserving box, so as to project both above and below the top; but such have always, so far as I am aware, been fixed in position, and the ice-reservoir is not vertically adjustable. Further, in a patent granted to J. S. Waterman, dated April 7, 1868, No. 76,568, there is provided an ice-reservoir having hooks at each end, which engage notches in bars secured to the inner sides of the walls of the preservingcase; but in such the ice-reservoir cannot be adjusted without first removing the cover of the preserving-case, which is very objectionable, and which I entirely overcome by suspending my ice-reservoir through the top of the case and supporting it as described, so that the reservoir projects above the top, and the external adjusting devices are readily accessible, whereby the reservoir can be adjusted vertically without removing the cover of the preserving-case.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The corpse -preserving case A, having a cover provided with a central opening and horizontally-adjustable plates or catches d, in

combination with the ice-reservoir having at In testimony that I claim the foregoing I each end a series of notches or teeth and sushave hereunto set my hand and seal this 28th ended within the central opening of the cover day ot' July, 1879.

y means of the notches and fastening-plates, f the ice-reservoir projecting above the cover ot' W ASHINGTON WHITE' IL' s'] the preserving-case, whereby it can be readily Witnesses: adjusted vertically without removing the said CHAS. VVAHLERS, cover, substantially as shown and described. J. VAN SANTVOORD. 

